


Really, now?

by barbarosabee



Series: Fluffy oneshots [4]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Cute, Fluff, Gen, Horse Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 16:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19749862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbarosabee/pseuds/barbarosabee
Summary: Damn horse can't just let him fish in peace, can she?





	Really, now?

**Author's Note:**

> based on an ask someone sent arthurmorgansgf on tumblr (link at bottom). If you're unfamiliar with Hesper, he made his debut in "A Poor Fool on the Way to Love" which is available on my profile here.

This was nice, getting away from camp for a few days. Quiet. Just what Hesper needed, nearly bolted into a rock when someone knocked over the stewpot and sent the frame clanging around. The stallion wouldn’t settle no matter what Arthur did, so he rode off on an extended hunting trip.

Found himself up at O’Creigh’s Run. Clear of bears, this time, and he set up his tent near the lakeshore.

Calliope greatly enjoyed not wearing her saddle, though she kept obnoxiously close to Arthur and Hesper as they went along. Never would’ve been able to keep a handle on Hesper if he were the follow horse.

He’d come far from the bleeding ball of nerves Arthur had brought him home as. Still had a ways to go, but Kieran worked with him whenever Arthur couldn’t, and Hesper was finally warming up to other people. Didn’t try to fight if Lenny or Hosea moved him to a different grazing spot or spent an hour brushing him. Got picked on by The Count but so did just about any other horse.

Arthur glanced over to where he’d turned Calliope and Hesper loose. Hesper was flipped on his side near the water, and the closer Arthur looked, realised the silly thing was _drinking_ but too lazy to stand up to do it. Calliope appeared to have wandered off.

Arthur sighed before whistling for her. Reeled in the line—bad time of day to be fishing if he actually wanted to catch anything. Hesper looked in Arthur’s direction, but returned to lying down.

“Where’ve you gotten to this time,” he grumbled, collapsing the rod and stuffing it back in his satchel. He turned from the water—

And Calliope was right there, not a foot behind him. Arthur had enough time to wonder how she’d managed to _actually_ sneak up on him before he was falling backwards off the jetty. Calliope had _pushed him_ , the little shit.

The water weren’t deep. Maybe above his knees, if he were stood up. Only took a second to break the surface and blink the water from his eyes.

Calliope snorted at him from the jetty. Had his hat clamped between her teeth.

“Oh, _really_ now—“

Something crashed through the water towards him. Had maybe half a second before he was being dragged sideways by his jacket. Tripped on his own feet and almost went under again, but Hesper was mighty determined to save Arthur from drowning and kept his head up.

Arthur resigned himself to being dragged to shore. Hesper didn’t release him until they were next to the tent. Arthur was pretty sure he’d gotten more than a few rocks stuck between his chaps and his boots.

Hesper deposited him next to the just-warm embers of the morning’s fire. Arthur propped himself up on his elbows. Hesper blinked at him, a few inches away from Arthur’s chest.

“Thanks, boy, you did good.”

Hesper sniffed Arthur’s face. Hesitated. Licked from Arthur’s chin, up his nose, and all the way through his hair. Arthur put a hand on Hesper’s neck and gave it a few gentle pats. Pulled out a sugar cube.

Crunching over the loose rocks. A puff of air and Arthur’s hat landed by his hip. Calliope crowded in, all but shoving Hesper out of the way so she could nibble on Arthur’s damp shirt.

“Uh-uh, I ain’t forgiving you so fast. Go on, git.”

Calliope lipped at his ear. Hesper swung his head around, pushed at Calliope until she turned away. Arthur watched them have something of a staring contest before Calliope shook her head and trotted a few paces off.

Hesper nosed at Arthur again, then stretched himself out with his back pressed firm against Arthur. Arthur fought the smile for a moment before leaning back against Hesper, letting the high noon sun warm him through his damp clothes.

* * *

[Here's the original post if y'all're interested.](https://arthurmorgansgf.tumblr.com/post/186162794445/arthur-falls-in-the-lake-and-his-horse-jumps-in)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at like 5am on tumblr mobile


End file.
